Time clock mechanism



Jan. 24, 1939. K. L. DYNES TIME CLOCK MECHANISM Filed Dec. 2, 1937 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 24, 1939y TIME CLOCK MECHANISM Kenneth L. Dynes,Los Angeles, Calif., assigner to Grayson Heat Control, Ltd., Lynwood,Calif., a corporation of California Application December z, 1937,sermvNo. 177,773

6 Claims. (Cl. 161-1) useful for controllingthe turning on and offFurthermore, by having the split sleeves which i of power for domesticcooking stoves. form the driving connection between the oper- The mainobjects of this invention are to proating parts so constructed that theparts previde an improved construction of relatively rotatsent a uniformarea to surface contact, very little able and axially slidablemechanical elements binding action or resistance to axial sliding is lowhich will function with a minimum tendency to encountered. bind orproduce frictional resistance to movevIn the construction shown in thedrawing a ment; to provide a constructionin which the manually operableSet gear I0 is shown rigidly forces are equally and uniformlydistributed on secured at its hub to a shaft II in the same manthesupporting surfaces whereby the parts will ner as is more fully shownand described in the i5 move freely and easily; to provide aconstruction above identified Grayson application, reference 15 in whichthe wear will be reduced to a minimum to which is made for a morecomplete and de' thereby insuring long life to the parts; to providetailed description of the complete time clock a construction in whichmalfunction due to bind- 'mechanism ill Which this improved invention iSing friction is eliminated, and to provide a conused. A relativelyrotatable time driven gear I2 struction in which free, smooth andaccurate is rigidly staked t0 a hub I3 Which iS jOllrIlaled Ori I0functioning is insured over a long period of time. the shaft Il Closelyadjacent ISO the Set gear l0,

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is and axially slidablethereon. shown in the accompanying drawing, in which: The hub I3 isprovided with an axially extend- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the manuallyset gear ing sleeve which has portions thereof cut out to showing thecam openings in the sides thereof, form three axially extending fingersI4, I 5 and 25 and with the time driven cams therein; I6, which are ofthe same size and which have Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on theline 2--2 equal and uniform amounts of bearing area conof Fig. 1; tactsurface on the shaft II.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view 'Ihe side of the gearI2 adjacent to the set gear taken on the arcuate line 3 3 of Fig. 1; I0is provided with a pair of cams I1 and I8, 30

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view which are positioned atdifferent radial distances taken on the arcuate line 4-4 of Fig. 1; fromthe axis of rotation of the gears, and which Fig. 5 is a view takengenerally along the line are 0f the Same height. The Cams I1 and I3 are5--5 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated adapted to bearagainst the adjacent s ide of the by the arrows, and showing in planview the set gear I0, and thus hold the gears in axially 35 time drivengear; spaced relation except when in one angular re- Fig. 6 is asectional view taken on the line 6-6 latiOIiShiD- The Set geel l0 iSProvided With a of Fig. 2; pair of complementary cam openings I9 and 20Fig, 7 is a, view similar to Fig, 1 but with the' respectively, forreceiving the cams I1 and I8 gears' rotated 180 to show the relationshipof the `when in one angular position with respect thereto. 40 cams tothe cam openings when in that position; AS-ShOWn moet Clearly in Figs. 3and 4. the Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 cams l1 andI8 are so positioned and arranged of Fig. 7, and with respect to theirrespective cam openings Fig. 9 is a view in elevation 0f a time clockthat both cams will enter their respective openof the character in whichthis improved mechaings at identically the same moment. By having 45nism is particularly usefulthe cams I1 and I8 of equal height and spacedIn the above mentioned co-pending application equi-angularly withrespect to the axis of rotawhere the similar parts are used but with asingle tion, it Will be Clearly apparent that axial fOrCe cam it hasbeen found that a binding action reexerted by one gear upon the otherthrough the suits, which at times causes malfunction of the medium ofthe cams will be evenly 'distributed 5U This invention relates to timeclock mechanism of the type shown and described in the co-pendingapplication of John H. Grayson, Serial No. 146,705, filed June 7, 1937,and is particularly mechanism in addition to which excessive wear takesplace on the parts.

In the present construction due to the fact that two cams are providedat diametrically opposite sides of the axis, there is no tendencywhatever to bind during the axial sliding movement and as a result themechanism functions not only in a satisfactory manner, but with verylittle wear thus insuring a long life to the parts.

iingers 2I', 22 and 23 respectively, which are integrally formed on ahub 24 to which is rigidly staked a cam disc 25, which is rotated by thetime driven gear I2 through the interengaging fingers.

'I'he outer side of the disc 25 is provided with a pair of cams 26and 21which are spaced equiangularly ,about the axis of rotation and which areof the same height but which are spaced unequal distances radially fromthe center. .A manual set gear 28 is rigidly staked to a hub 29 which isjournaled on the shaft il with the'set gear 28 adjacent to the cam. disc25. The set gear v28 isA provided with a pair of complementary camopenings 30 and 3I positioned so as to receive, at identically the samemoment, the cams 26 and 21 respectively. Due to the diierent distancesthat the cams 2,6 and 21 and their respective cam openings 33 and 3l arespaced from the center, the cams will entertheir complementary openingsat only one point in a complete revolution.

Means are provided for urging the gear I2 and disc 25 axially inoppositedirections so as to cause their respective cams to enter theircam openings and comprisesa helical compressionspring 32 which surroundsthe axial extending interengaged fingers I4, I5, I6, 2|, 22 and 23, inslightly spaced relation thereto and the opposite ends of which abutagainst the respective hubs of the gear I2 and disc 25. The spring 32tends to insure the movement of the parts from the position shown inFig. 8 of the drawing to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawingwherein the respective camsV are entered into their complementary camopenings.

As shown in Fig. 9 of the drawing the time clock in which this improvedmechanism is used is of the type shown and illustrated in the heretoforeidentified application and includes the usual clock face 33, hour hand34, minute hand 35 and second hand 36. Control knobs 31 and 38 are alsoprovided for setting the hands 39a and 40, respectively, which indicatethe respective times at which the operating mechanism turns on and off".Other control knobs 39 and 40 are illustrated but'form no part of theinvention herein described and shown.

In the operation of this mechanism the set hands 39a and 40 are moved bytheir respective control knobs 31 and 38 to indicate the times at whichthe mechanism is intended to turn on" and ofi. Rotation of the controlknobs 31 and. 38 through appropriate mechanism will rotate the manualset gears I2 and 28 to the required position at which time therespective cams will ride on the adjacent faces oi the gears I and 20 asillustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawing.

When the time clock mechanism rotates the time driven gear i2 to thepoint set oil? on the dial the cams I1 and I8 thereon will enter intothe, respective cam openings I9 and 20 of the gear I0 at which time thehelical spring 32 will vslide the time driven gear I2 axially to theleft to thev position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Other mechanismnot illustrated herein but shown in detail in the heretofore identifiedco'- pending application will be caused to function by such axialmovement.

Further rotation of the time gear i2 will cause the cam disc 25 to berotated, through the me.- dium of the interengaging fingers i4, I5, I6,2|, 22 and 23, to a position whereby the cams 26 and 21 thereon willcome in registry with their respective cam openings 30 and 3i, vat whichtime the helical compression spring 32 will likewise cause laxlalmovement to the right as viewed in Fig. 8 and cause the disc 25 to movefrom the position shown in Fig. 8 to that shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawing. 'Ihis axial movement likewise operates mechanism notillustrated herein to turn oi.. n v, l

Due to theprovision Vofr aplurality of cams equi-angularly spaced aboutthe axis of rotation which cams are of the same height and bear equallyagainst the respective sides of their adjacent gears, binding frictionis reduced to a minimum and wear is very materially reduced, thusnsuringdong life to the operating parts. Elimination of wear and bindingfriction is also aided by having the interengaging iingers equiangularlyspaced and ofequal area or bearing contact ron their respectivesupporting surfaces. Smooth and proper functioning of the parts is alsoaided and assisted by the helical compression spring 32 which tends tocause the parts to operate promptly upon reaching their respectivepositions.

Although but one specific embodiment of invention has` been herein shownand described.'A

it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shownmay be altered or omit- Y ted without departing from'the spirit of thisin` complementary cam openings for simultaneously receiving said cams,said cams being spaced diiferent axial distances, whereby entrance ofsaid* cams into said openings may occur at` but one angular position.

2. In a time clock mechanism, a set gear, a time driven gear journaledadjacent to and coaxially with said set gear, a plurality of cams on oneof said gears for bearing against the ad- Ijacent side of the said othergear, said other gear having complementary cam openings therein, saidcams and openings being positioned at different radial distances fromthe axis of rotation whereby registration of complementary cams andopenings will occur in but one angular position, said cams beingsubstantially equi-an-gularly spaced and of substantially the sameheight, whereby axial force exerted byone gear upon the other will beevenly distributed.

3. In a time clock mechanism, a rotatable member adapted to be set mrnually to predetermined position, a second rotatable member journaledadjacent to and co-axially with said rst mentioned member and adapted tobe rotated by clock mechanism, a plurality of cams on the adjacent sideof one of said members for contacting the other of said members andholding said members in axially spaced relation when in cer tain angularrelation, said other member having companion openings therein forpermitting axial movement of one of said members toward the other whenin other certain angular relation, said cams being located at differentdistances from the axis of the said members whereby registration of saidcams with their respective cam openings will occur inbut one angularposition.

4. In a time clock mechanism, a pair of coaxially journaled relativelyrotatable members positioned in adjacent parallel planes, one of saidmembers having a pair of openings therein located at substantiallydiametrlcally opposite positions, a pair of cams on said other membervadapted to enter said openings simultaneously, said cams and openingsbeing positioned at varying radial distances from the axis o! rotationwhereby registration will occur in but one angular position.

5. In a time clock mechanism. a pair oi ad jacent co-axial relativelyrotatable members journaled to permit relative axial movement, aplurality oi cams on one of said members for bearing against theadjacent side of the said other member, said other member havingcomplementary cam openings therein, said cams being substantiallyequi-singularly spaced and of substantially the same height, wherebyaxial force exerted by one member upon the other through the medium ofsaid cams will be evenly distributed, said cams and cam openings beingarranged so that registry thereof will occur at only one angularposition.

6. In a time clock mechanism, a shaft, a set gear rigid on said shaft, atime driven gear member `lournaled and axially slidable on said shaft, acam on the side of one oi said gears, the other of said gears having acam opening adapted, to receive said cam when in registry therewith, asecond member journaled and axially slidable on said shaft, a second setgear member on said shaft. one of said last mentioned members having acam opening, a cam on the other adapted to enterl said opening when inregistry therewith, means connecting said axially slidable members beingdirectly connected for imparting rotation one to the other in the samedirection while permitting relative axial movement. and a helicalcompression spring bearing between said axially slidable members foryieldingly urging axial movement thereof in opposite directions.

KENNETHLDYNES. 0

